The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-04-20
Tree.Plantiug,

Tree. Planting.
We are indebted to a subscriber in
Connecticut for a copy of an address
delivered before the Board of Agri-
culture by B. G.. Northrop, LID,
upon Arbor day, its history and aims,
and how to secure them. The paper
presents some interesting facts. The
honor of originating Arbor day belongs
to Ex-Governor Morton of Nebraska,
and his suggestion was adopted in that
state fifteen years ago. The next year
it was established by law as a legal
holiday. Since that time more than
seven hundred thousand acres in Ne
braska have been planted with trees.
The example of Nebraska was soon
followed by Kansas; then by Mime
sofa, Michigan and Ohio; subsequently
by Colorado, Wisconsin, West Vir-
ginia, Indiana, Vermont, New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Florida and Georgia;
and during the past year in five other
states. The observance of the day in
Minnesota has already resulted in the
planting of over a million and half
of trees.
In some states to interest youth, and
especially schools, is now made promi
nent feature of Arbor day. The Ma
tional Educational Convention has
adopted a resolution in favor of Arbor
day in schools in all our states, and the
American Forestry Congress took like
action. Mr.. Northrop says: "Once
vigorously started, the movement gains
fresh impetus year by year. The be-
ginners in Arbor day work will prove
public benefactors. If the one hun
dred fifty thousand youth of school age
in Connecticut should each plant two
trees, as is attempted in some states,
we should have three hundred thou
sand planted in single year. Some
will plant more and others none, but
NllCH SuCCCSo 10 doSulCu OlC CAdllDlC
will make many others" The edu-
cational effect of such work, the aesthetic
influence, the growth of heart and mind
thus secured, are of priceless value.
Tree-planting is a grand discipline in
foresight. 1t is always planting and
planning for the future"
Arbor day has proved as memorable
for the home as for the school, leading
youth to share in door-yard adornments
and in planting trees by the wayside.
Thus many more roads will be made
attractive by long avenues of trees.
Such holiday" says Mr. Northrop,
becomes an attractive occasion of
social enjoyment and improvement,
and counteracts the tendency of rural
life to isolation and seclusion, lifting
out of the ruts of dull, plodding mo-
notony, promoting neighborly feeling
and strengthening social ties" Atten-
ton is also directed in this way to the
general subject of economic tree-plant-
ing. There are in New England large
areas of barrens worthless for field
crops that may be profitably devoted to
wood-growing. Mr. Northrop refers
to the success of an experiment in tree
planting in Rhode Island. A barren
of three hundred acres was planted
with trees nine years ago, and all have
made a thriving growth. Like expert
ments elsewhere are producing equally
favorable results.
We should like to see more general
observance of Arbor day this year and
more earnest attention given to timber
culture, especially in those parts of the
state which have been denuded and
where the forests cannot be easily re-
stored by natural reproduction. Let
the waste places be thus utilized, the
highways everywhere be made inviting
with an abundance of shade-trees, and
the grounds about churches, school
buildings and dwellings be beautified
and improved in the same way.